Face Lift

The critical consideration in designing surgical procedure for a man's face and/or neck is to ensure that nothing is done that "demasculanizes" him or makes him any less handsome. The reality is that most plastic surgery procedures were invented decades ago when the overwhelming majority of patients were women. While some of these procedures can be done exactly the same in men, many others need to be substantially modified to properly work.

Women are often also more accepting of a "done look" or of visible scars than are man. Men detest any visible scars or looking as if they have had something done, so the choice of procedures, location of incisions, and the degree to which things are pulled or changed must be done carefully, thoughtfully, and judiciously. So too must their recoveries be prompt and allow them to return to work as quickly as possible. While women can cover some scars with long hair or accessories, men by and large do not have that option.

Another important concept is that many of the facial lines that are unacceptable for women are actually not problematic for men. When a plastic surgeon approaches these problems with the mindset of what has worked for women, then men are often rendered less handsome. For instance, a man's brows are much lower than a woman's. Overly shortening the upper eyelid of a man or overly raising his brows can have disastrous effects on his appearance. These procedures all are excellent in men provided they are modified to meet his needs.

Another feature that is more problematic for women than men are the lines from the corners of the nose to the corners of the mouth, the nasolabial folds. They rarely detract from a man's attractiveness and attempts to correct them to the same extent as may be ideal for a woman simply make a man's face look wrong.

Is there anything to do to make a man's face look thinner and more athletic?

Liposuction under the chin –submental liposuction – works well to thin the neck. But liposuction of the face does not work. However there are two marble shaped pieces of fat in the cheek called "buccal fat" which can easily be reduced. Buccal fat is the fat that gives babies their chipmunk appearance. But that look can exist even in thin adults.

With a small incision inside of the mouth, a small amount of this fat can be removed through a procedure called "buccal fat excision." By removing the bulge in the lower cheek, the face can be made to look much leaner. Because facial fat is lost as we age, plastic surgeons must be careful not to remove buccal fat without careful consideration as to whether that person has so thin of a face that they may look too thin after face is lost in the future. For the many patients who undergo buccal fat excision, they enjoy a much leaner appearance, and the surgery leaves no tell tale signs that anything was ever done.

Can a facelift be done that still looks natural?

The problem with facelifts is that we only knew the bad ones. We all see men with great facelifts every day, but they are simply not obvious. If you want a facelift but are hesitant because you think that all men with facelifts have to look fake and feminized, please do not worry. With the right surgeons and techniques a facelift can make you look much better without looking as if you have had surgery.

When is a neck lift better than a face lift for a man?

Men can look extremely handsome even with some sagging in their cheeks and with prominent nasolabial folds. The key ingredient in maintaining a man's appearance is the jawline and neck. On the other hand deep nasolabial folds and looser cheeks are more problematic for women. It is thus very important that a man considering facial surgery be assessed with a different mindset than is used with a woman. There are many circumstances when a necklift without a facelift is ideal for men.

Why does a chin implant do so much to improve a man's appearance?

A weak chin suggests a weak personality. Cartoons of tough guys always are caricatured with excessively large chins. Weak men are satirized with small chins. The point of a chin implant is only to give a man a normal chin.

When this is done, men look stronger, more athletic, younger, and sexier. There are many different shapes of chin implants. While women tend to look better with more rounded chin implants, men often look better with more square shaped chin implants. One of the most wonderful things about chin implants in men is that no one ever thinks about whether someone has had a chin implant. Restoring a small chin to become a normal size makes men look dramatically better and the fact that he had surgery is usually undetectable.

The most important area for plastic surgery in a man's face is his neck and jawline. This is what gives the appearance of youthful health and athleticism. Dr. Teitelbaum is experienced in helping his male patients understand whether neck liposuction or a neck lift is best for them.

For more information about scheduling a consultation for facial plastic surgery in Los Angeles, call board certified plastic surgeon Dr. Steven Teitelbaum at 310.315.1121 or click here to contact us.